memory
‘Mnemonic’ review – a play about memory
These interrelated stories trigger a dissection into the subject of memory, albeit a rather surface level exploration – like a thin sheet of ice. Abdalla’s introductory monologue peaks with some lofty questions; how does memory work? What is the purpose of memory? How do relationships with the human and the natural world intersect? Unfortunately, his memory fails him in remembering to properly answer these questions. But then again, forgetting is an essential component of memory, as Abdalla ironically points out. Mnemonic is, however, successful in conveying the crucial message that it is stories which keep memory and indeed our human conditions alive. Stories like Mnemonic, perhaps?
Cambodia’s curse: Pol Pot’s reign of terror
Phoenix Woolnough traces Cambodia’s harrowing experience of violence and authoritarianism following the Second World War, challenging a simplistic rendering of the Cold War period.
